Residents in the Moose Jaw area can expect normal weather conditions for the rest of the winter.

“It’s not time to celebrate, but the days are getting longer,” said David Phillips, senior climatologist for Environment Canada. “You’re gaining about two minutes a day in terms of sun in the day so that’s good news ... But we are three weeks away from what we call the dead of winter.”

He said that over the next 10 days, temperatures are expected to be between five and nine degrees warmer than normal. The wind direction is changing from the north to the south resulting in more mild air. Phillips said it might even hit 2 C on Sunday and the sun is likely to shine.

“These are days that are downright comfortable,” said Phillips. “When the winds die down there’ll be nothing but great Saskatchewan sun.”

He said so far Moose Jaw has had 19 cold days below -20 C. In the same time frame in 2011, Moose Jaw had six cold days. On average, December was two degrees colder than normal.